Although countries are at the beginning of using new technology, its future use in education cannot be underestimated (Canny & Rhoten, 2002). One of the major reasons for integrating ICT into teaching is to gain learner attention. According to Betz (1990), visuals attract attention; which is paramount in learning because many distractions compete for learners‟ attention; thus making it imperative to employ attention-catching devices to focus their thoughts.
It is assumed that integrating ICT brings fundamental changes in teaching methodologies (Grabe & Grabe, 1998; Smaldino et al., 2012). The innovation lies not per se in the introduction and use of ICT, but in its role as a contributor towards a student-centered form of teaching and learning (Scrimshaw, 2004). John & Sutherland (2005) notes that caution need to be exercised when speaking of new technologies and when assuming that a given medium or technology will automatically afford particular learning outcomes. As new concepts of learning have evolved, teachers are expected to facilitate learning and make it meaningful to individual learners rather than just to provide knowledge and skills (Smaldino et al. 2012). Recent developments of innovative technologies have provided new possibilities to the teaching profession but at the same time have placed more demands on teachers to learn how to use these technologies (Robinson & Latchem, 2003; Smaldino et al., 2012). Globally integration of ICT is gaining prominence and as the most important component bridging the gap of basic competence of students (Newby et al. 2006). This therefore has put educational systems under great pressure to adopt innovative methodologies and to integrate New Information and Communication Technologies the (NICT) teaching and learning process to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need in the 21st century. This is why Cooper & Todman (2006), observe that computer anxiety is often highlighted as the problem behind the digital divide whereas Prensky (2001) distinguishes between people who are born in a digital world and digital immigrants who have to learn the digital language and for whom ICT will always be a second language. According to Cox et al. (2003), there is need to measure among other factors teacher‟s beliefs and understanding of the role of ICT in teaching their subject.
In addition, teaching profession is evolving from an emphasis on teacher-centered, lecture- based instructions to student-centered interactive learning environments. NICT integration is understood as the usage of technology seamlessly for educational processes like transacting curricular content, students working on technology to do authentic tasks and developing technology supported products, providing authentic assessments and institutional development. Today a variety of NICT can facilitate not only delivery of instruction but also learning process itself. Moreover, NICT can promote international collaboration and networking in education and professional development.
According to IJEDICT (2007) report, integrating ICT into the education curriculum has been promoted as a key step in bridging the digital divide in Kenyan colleges in the recent years and despite the sacrifices made to finance these venture, there has been little evaluation of their effectiveness. However, this did not look into the influence of pre- service teacher training on integrating ICT sin the curriculum in primary teacher education which the current researcher seeks to investigate. Murithi (2005) argues that in Kenya like most developing countries, integrating ICT is still limited to computer literacy training. She contends in her study that the present ICT curriculum merely deals with “teaching about computers” but not how computers can be integrated to transform teaching and learning in primary teacher training colleges. According to Waema (2005) study on the impact of ICT revolution throughout the world, most countries have gotten computers literacy and India as a country has the largest scientific management in the world, whereby it is able to provide computer education teaching via internet and
according to New House (2005), Australia also practices ICT education and Malaysia gives ICT education a priority. This implies therefore that integrating ICT is not merely technology but it is primarily about content and effective instructional process.
ICT use in education is particularly at a dynamic stage in Africa (UNESCO 2012). However, in Kenya, integration of ICT in education is still at a limited stage (Murithi 2005) whereas Momanyi et al. (2006) investigated the attitude and perception of Kenyan educators towards introducing technology in the education system in Kenya. In this study, the researchers noted that there is a gap in the ability to integrate ICT effectively in teaching and learning process in primary schools. The NEPAD initiated pilot projects on ICT usage in Kenya is only in secondary schools and each school is unique with unique problems (Ministry of Education, Kenya, March, 2008). Other studies in Kenya on ICT such as: Omwenga et al. (2004)‟ how ICT provides a window of opportunities for educational institutions and other organizations to harness and use ICT to complement and support the teaching and learning in Kenya, Khalid (2005) „investigated barriers on the integration of ICT in general issues, Momanyi, Norby, & Strand, (2006) „the need for integration of technology in k.12 School settings in Kenya‟ , Oredo (2008)‟ the framework of evaluating ICT use in primary teacher education in Kenya‟, Ogange (2011)‟ An Analysis of ICT policy Development and Practice in Teacher Education in Kenya between 1997-2007‟, Muyaka (2012) „ICT infrastructure and teacher preparation in the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in primary teachers colleges‟ and Gode (2013) „factors influencing integration of information communication technologies in primary teacher training colleges central region Kenya.
The above scholars have looked at ICT in different contextual concerns but not teachers‟ preparedness in integrating ICT in training teachers in public primary teacher training education which the current researcher seeks to study.
2.11 Challenges of Integrating ICT in the primary teacher training curriculum